English Vocab Weeks 1,2,3,4, and 5.

Humane

Having the worthy qualities of being a human being such as kindess or compassion

Anthropos

human being, “man”

Homo, Hominis

“man”

Vir

Man

Gyne

woman

Femina

Woman

Autos

Self

Ego

I

Humanus

Human Being

Humanism

A philosophy in which interests and values of human beings are of primary importance

Humanities

Branches of knowledge concerned with human beings and their culture, philosophy, literature, and the fine arts, as distinguished from the sciences

Anthropology

the scientific study of origins, cultural development, and customs of human beings

Misanthrope

person who hates all people

Homicide

The killing of one person by another, a person who kills another

Virile

Having certain characteristics popularly associated with men especially physical strength, procreative power, vitality, and assertiveness

gynecology

The branch of medicine dealing with disease in the reproductive system of women

Feminism

The belief that women should posses the same political and economical rights as men

Feminist

A supporter of women’s claims to the same rights and treatment as men

autocrat

A ruler who has absolute or unlimited power, a despot.

automaton

A personal who behaves in a mechanical, routine manner, a robot.

autonomy

the condition of being self governing, independence

autopsy

the examination of a corpse to determine the cause of death

Egoism

 Conceit; valuing everything according to one's personal interest; excessive confidence in the rightness of one's own opinion. (In ethics, egoism is the belief in self-love as a proper motive for human conduct; in psychology, ego means “the self," the part of the mind concerned with the outside world.) Egotism can mean "boastfulness" and/or "selfishness." 

Genos, Geneos

“race” or “family”

Gens, Gentis

“race” “clan” “family”

Genus, Generis

“birth”, “race”, “kind”, “tribe”, or “clan”

Genealogy

A record of descent from ones ancestors; the study of family records. NOUN

Toni Morrison's novel Song of Solomon traces the genealogy of a family from the mid-twentieth century back to their African heritage.

Genocide

The planned annihilation of a racial, political, or cultural group. NOUN

The Nazi effort to eliminate all Jews is the most extensive attempt at genocide in history. 

Genre

A type, class, or category especially in fine art or literature. NOUN

Edna Ferber's writing encompasses several genres-fiction, drama, and autobiography. 

Genteel

Well mannered, refined, polite. ADJECTIVE

Although they tried to look genteel, their vulgar language and rude behavior betrayed their lack of refinement. 

Gentile

Anyone not of the Jewish Faith, a Christian. NOUN

Although they are gentiles, they are familiar with Jewish tradition.

Gentry

Aristocrat or well-bred people. NOUN

Their cultivated manners and education showed them to be members of the gentry.

Heterogeneous

Having parts that are unrelated or completely different. ADJECTIVE

The United States has been called a "melting pot" because of its heterogeneous population. 

Homogeneous

Of the same kind or sort. ADJECTIVE

Composed of parts that are alike. 

Congenital

Existing at birth but not hereditary. ADJECTIVE

The baby is the only member of its family to have a congenital heart defect. 

Engender

To give rise to, to bring into existance. VERB

The British Parliament's tariff on tea engendered violent protests like the Boston Tea Party in the over-taxed American colonies. 

Genesis

A beginning or origin. NOUN

Historians trace the genesis of the United Nations to the League of Nations.

Indigenous

Occuring in or characterizing an area; native ADJECTIVE

Shinto, a religion indigenous to Japan, originated in prehistoric times, while Buddhism was introduced from Korea in the sixth century. 

Ingenious

Cleverly intitive and resourceful ADJECTIVE

Harriet Tubman's ingenious tactics helped more than 300 slaves escape to freedom. 

Progenitor

A direct ancestor; an originator of a line of descent. NOUN

The Wright Brothers flying machine is the progenitor of the modern airplane

Progeny

Children or descendants; offspring. NOUN

The Wright brothers' flying machine is the progenitor of the modern airplane. 

MATER, MATRIS

“Mother”

Matrix

Noun. The surroundings within which something begins or develops. 

Researchers use a matrix of nutritious gelatin to grow bacteria in laboratories. 

matriarchy

Noun. A society ruled or controlled by women. 

Anthropological research suggests that the early society of Crete was a matriarchy. 

matriculate

Verb. To register as a student at a college or university. Oberlin was the first American college to allow both women and men to matriculate. 

PATER, PATRIS

Father

patriarch

n. 1. The head of a family or tribe. 

The patriarch was honored as the chief historian of the tribe. 

2. An Old Testament ancestor. 

Jacob was the patriarch of the twelve tribes 

of Israel. 

3. A founding father or wise man. 

Americans look upon George Washington as their patriarch. 

patrimony

n. A family inheritance. 

Islamic law allows a woman to retain all rights to her patrimony when she marries. 

patronage

n. 1. Support; encouragement. 

Political contenders vie for the patronage of wealthy citizens. 

2. Business clientele; customers. 

patronize

v. 1. To go to regularly. 

We patronize the store with the freshest vegetables. 

2. To treat someone as an inferior. 

patronymic

n. Name derived from a paternal ancestor. 

Peterson is the patronymic of Peter's son. 

FRATER, FRATRIS

“brother”

fraternal

adj. Pertaining to brothers; brotherly. 

Although separated for many years, the brothers still retained a fierce fraternal loyalty. 

fraternize

v. 1. To be friendly with. 

The new teacher soon fraternized easily with her colleagues. 

2. To socialize with an enemy population. 

Warning the troops not to fraternize, the commander declared off limits all taverns and restaurants in the occupied town. 

AVUNCULUS, AVUNCULI

“Uncle”

avuncular

adj. Like an uncle. 

We appreciated his avuncular gestures like trips to the ball park and treats of ice cream. 

FAMILIA

Family

familial

adj. Having to do with the family. 

One branch of anthropology studies familial structures in different cultures. 

UXOR, UXORIS

Wife

uxorious

adj. Dominated by one's wife. 

The uxorious husband catered to his wife's every whim. 

GAMOS

Marriage

bigamy

n. Marriage to two mates. 

Mr. Rochester would have committed bigamy if he had married Jane Eyre while his insane wife was still alive. 

monogamy

n. Marriage to a single mate. 

The Constitution recognizes monogamy as the only legal form of mar- riage in the United States. 

PUER

“A male child”

Puerile

Adj. Childish, immature

PAIS, PAIDOS

“child” “boy”

Orthopedics

n. Branch of medicine treating disorders of the skeletal system and tissues related to movement. 

The specialist in orthopedics set my broken leg. 

orthopedic, adj.; orthopedist, n. 

Pedagogue

"leader”

n. A teacher. 

The Oxford Cleric in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a devoted peda- gogue who would "gladly... learn and gladly teach." 

pedagogic, adj.; pedagogical, adj.; pedagogy, n. 

Pedant

n. 1. A person who pays excessive attention to learning rules rather than to 

understanding. 

A true scholar seeks to understand the causes 

of historical events, but a pedant only 

memorizes their dates. 

2. A scholarly show-off. 

Instead of saying "horse," the pedant Mr. Bounderby in Charles Dick- ens's Hard Times refers to a "granivorous quadruped." 

pedantic, adj.; pedantry, n.

SUM, ESSE, FUI, FUTURUM

“to be”

Entity

n. Something that has a real or independent existence. 

Each twin wanted to be treated as an entity. 

Antonym: nonentity 

Nonentity

n. 1. A person or thing of no importance. 

How did such a nonentity achieve so much power? 

Essence

n. 1. The basic element; the identifying characteristic. 

During the 1920s Bessie Smith's singing represented the essence of the blues. 

2. A substance in concentrated form obtained from a plant or drug. 

Ground seeds of the cacao bean are the essence of cocoa. 

3. A perfume. 

MORIOR, MORI, MORTUUM

“to die”

Moribund

adj. About to die or end. 

As automobiles became popular, the speed limits set for horse-drawn vehicles became moribund. 

moribundity, n. 

Mortify

tr. v. 1. To shame. 

In Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet's crude efforts to marry off her five daughters mortify Elizabeth Bennet. 

2. To discipline oneself by denial. 

Some Hindus seek to mortify the flesh by prolonged fasting. 

mortification, n. 

Postmortem

n. 1. An examination to determine the cause of death; an autopsy. 

The postmortem eliminated the possibility of death by poison. 

2. (informal) An analysis of something that is over. 

Every Monday at lunch there is a postmortem of Sunday's baseball game. 

THANATOS

“death”

Euthanasia

euthanasia (yoo the na'zhǝ, yoo the na ́shǝ) [eu <G. "well"] 

n. The act of painlessly killing a suffering person or animal; mercy killing. 

Controversy continues over a patient's right to euthanasia. 

NASCOR, NASCI, NATUM

“to be born”

Innate

adj. Possessed at birth; inborn. 

Voice lessons have improved his innate singing talent. 

innately, adv. 

Naive

adj. 1. Childlike; unsophisticated. 

She retained a naive belief that her toys came alive by night. 

2. Gullible. 

The naive tourists bought "ancient coins" from dishonest street vendors. 

naivete, n. 

Nascent

adj. Emerging; coming into existence. 

Good teachers encourage the nascent skills of young writers. 

Renaissance

n. 1. A rebirth; a renewal. 

The twentieth century has witnessed a renaissance of interest in indig- enous American art. 

2. (capitalized) A revival of humanism in fourteenth century to six- teenth century Europe. 

During the Renaissance the humanities were greatly influenced by Greek and Roman models. 

AMO, AMARE, AMAVI, AMATUM <L

"to love"

AMICUS <L

"friend"

amicable

adj. Friendly; peaceable. 

An amicable settlement of the dispute prevented ill feelings. amicability, n.; amicableness, n.; amicably, adv. 

amity

n. Friendship; friendly relations. 

Amity has long existed between the United States and Canada. 

enamored

adj. In love with; charmed by (used with of). 

They were so enamored of Islamic art that they extended their stay in Turkey. 

inimical

adj. 1. Harmful. 

Too much caffeine is inimical to your health. 

2. Hostile; unfriendly. 

Despite the parents' efforts to reconcile their progeny, the sisters' re- lationship remained inimical. 

ODIUM <L.

"hate" 

odious

adj. Hateful; distasteful. 

Charlotte Brontë's description of the odious Lowood School in Jane Eyre was drawn from her own experience with inhumane teachers at boarding school. 

odiously, adv.; odiousness, n.; odium, n. 

PHILOS <G.

"friend" 

PHILEO, PHILEIN <G.

"to love" 

bibliophile

n. A lover of books. 

A visit to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., was the highlight of the trip for the bibliophile. 

bibliophilia, n. 

philander

intr. v. To engage in casual love affairs (referring to men). 

Although he philandered in his youth, he became a faithful, monogamous husband. 

philanderer, n.; philandering, n. 

philanthropy

n. 1. Goodwill to fellow human beings. 

The leaders felt a spirit of philanthropy at the signing of the peace treaty. 

2. A charitable gift, act, or organization. 

Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy provided for public libraries through- out the United States. 

philanthropic, adj.; philanthropical, adj.; philanthropist, n. Antonym: misanthropy 

PHOBOS <G.

"fear," "flight" 

phobia

n. Strong, irrational fear or hatred. 

Her phobia about enclosed spaces prevents her from riding in elevators or automobiles. 

phobic, adj. 

acrophobia

"at the farthest point" (usually referring to 

height)] 

n. Fear of heights. 

Acrophobia prevented my climbing to the 

top of the tower. 

acrophobe, n.